1. Field of the Invention
The present disclose is related to video game systems and methods for providing one or more software-based skill adjustment mechanisms for video game systems. More specifically, the present disclosure is related to puzzle video game systems and methods for providing software-based skill adjustment mechanisms for puzzle video game systems to adjust a difficulty level of the video game systems based on a current skill level or game play of a player. The video game systems may provide assortments of digital blocks in a digital matrix in which the player may manipulate, organize and/or drop digital blocks for forming and clearing complete horizontal lines from the matrix to complete one or more difficulty levels. Failure by the player to remove complete horizontal lines from the matrix in a timely fashion may result in a game ending condition being committed or approached by the game play of the player. The video game systems may include software and/or algorithms for providing one or more software-based skill adjustment mechanisms which adjust the difficulty level of the video games when a game ending condition is committed or approached to avoid a game ending condition and/or termination of game play. As a result, the difficulty level of the video games may be adjusted based on the current skill level or game play of the player to remove the complete horizontal lines from the matrix, to avoid the game ending conditions and/or to prevent termination of game play.
The player may be unable to clear complete digital horizontal lines formed with the blocks at a speed that is equal to or greater than a fall speed of newly generated blocks introduced into the matrix. The game ending condition may occur (a) after one or more blocks are pushed or moved above a buffer zone of the digital matrix, (b) when one or more blocks locked down in the buffer zone prevent a new block from being generated and introduced into the digital matrix, or (c) at an expiration of a predetermined time limit. After an occurrence of a game ending condition or during play when the video game systems determine that the skill level and game play of the player is likely to lead to an occurrence of a game ending condition, the video game systems may execute one or more primary and/or secondary software-based skill adjustment mechanisms so an adjusted difficulty level of the video game matches or corresponds to the current skill level or game play of the player. The primary and/or secondary software-based skill adjustment mechanisms may include, for example, a matrix dimension adjustment, a line adjustment, a level and fall speed adjustment, a piece adjustment and/or a top-out, lock-out and/or block-out meter.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is generally known, for example, that a puzzle video game, such as, for example, TETRIS®, the rights to which are owned by Tetris Holding, LLC, is played on a gaming device by one or more players and/or opponents. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, during game play of the video game, a player rotates, moves and drops different falling tetrimino blocks 14a-14g within a digital matrix 10 to arrange and organize the blocks 14a-14g into one or more complete horizontal lines 12, without any gaps or openings 22 within the horizontal lines. Tetrimino blocks 14a-14g are blocks composed of four connected squares or minos 16, in seven possible shapes. Once the player has placed a tetrimino block in a final resting position, the tetrimino block is locked down and unable to be subsequently moved and/or rotated. Additionally, the player may execute special actions, such as, block spins, block slots, block twists, floor kicks and/or wall kicks to position one or more tetrimino blocks into locations within the matrix 10.
Each complete horizontal line 12 is eliminated or cleared from the digital matrix 10. As a result, remaining blocks 14a-14g fall or move downward towards a bottom 20 of the digital matrix 10. It is also generally known that the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g are shapes consisting of the four individual smaller square blocks or minos 16. The blocks 14a-14g, minos 16 and/or matrix 10 is two-dimensional or three-dimensional.
The gaming device is comprised of a digital display and input device. The gaming device is, for example, a personal computer (hereinafter “PC”), a video gaming console, a handheld gaming device, an arcade gaming device or a hybrid gaming device. Alternatively, the gaming device may be a tablet PC, ultra-mobile PC, a mobile-based pocket PC, an electronic book computer, a laptop computer, a media player, a portable media device, a personal digital assistant, an enterprise digital assistant, a digital cable receiver, a graphic calculator, a Global Positioning System receiver, a digital audio player, a digital camera or a wrist watch. Moreover, the gaming device may be a mobile phone, a 4G mobile device, a 3G mobile device, an ALL-IP electronic device, an information appliance or a personal communicator.
The gaming device may provide the player with the ability to play the video game in an online mode or a non-online mode. In the online mode, the gaming device is connected to a fixed communication network or a wireless communication network so that the player may access information associated with the video game and/or play against one or more remote opponents via the fixed or wireless communication network. In the non-online mode, the gaming device is not connected to a wired or wireless communication network. As a result, the player may not play against remote opponents, but the player may play against local opponents and/or an artificial intelligence of the video game system.
The gaming device may have a wireless connection device, such as, for example, a Wi-Fi network device, a wireless ZigBee device, an EnOcean device, an ultra-wideband device, a wireless Bluetooth device, a wireless Local Area Network (hereinafter LAN) accessing device, a wireless IrDA device and/or the like. The wireless connection device facilitates wireless game play against one or more opponents over a wireless communication network.
The fixed or wireless communication network includes a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a campus area network (CAN), a Metropolitan area network (MAN) and/or a wide area network (WAN). Alternatively, the fixed network includes an optical fiber network, an Ethernet, a cabled network, a permanent network, a power line communication network, an intranet, extranet or the Internet which may include the world wide web. Moreover, the wireless network includes a wireless MAN, a wireless LAN, a wireless PAN, a Wi-Fi network, a WiMAX network, a global standard network, a personal communication system network, a pager-based service network, a general packet radio service, a universal mobile telephone service network, a satellite service network or a radio access network.
The gaming device has an input device to allow the player or the opponent(s) to control the movements, rotations and drops of the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g within the matrix 10. The input device includes a graphical user interface for the gaming device. Alternatively, the input device may include a touch screen, a stylus, a joystick, a keyboard, a cable remote, a mobile phone or the like.
The general objective of the video game is to eliminate as many tetrimino blocks 14a-14g and/or complete horizontal lines 12 before (a) the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g are pushed or moved above a buffer zone (not shown in the drawings) that is located directly above the matrix 10, (b) the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g are located in the buffer zone and prevent generation of a new block from the top of the buffer zone, or (c) expiration of a time limit. An opponent may send one or more incomplete horizontal lines 13 to the matrix 10 of the player, which may be added at the bottom 20 of the matrix 10 of the player. As a result, one or more tetrimino blocks 14a-14g within the matrix 10 or buffer zone may be pushed above the top of the matrix 10.
Alternative objectives of the video game include (a) eliminating a maximum number of complete horizontal lines 12 before expiration of a predetermined time limit or before an opponent completes a predetermined number of complete horizontal lines 12, (b) clearing all blocks 14a-14g from the matrix 10, (c) clearing a bottom incomplete horizontal line 14a-14g from the matrix 10, (d) clearing a pre-determined amount and/or assortment of blocks 14a-14g from the matrix 10, (e) clearing blocks 14a-14g and/or minos 16 such that a digitally animated character or avatar may reach the bottom 20 of the matrix 10, (f) organizing blocks 14a-14g to form a design or object, such as, for example, a pyramid, and (g) clearing blocks 14a-14g from a spherical matrix (not shown in the drawings) to reveal a core in the center of the matrix. The opponent(s) may be, for example, one or more other players and/or an artificial intelligence associated with the video game.
The matrix 10 is a digital grid having dimensions of, for example, ten (10) columns wide by twenty (20) rows high, eight (8) columns by twenty (20) rows, eight (8) columns by twelve (12) rows, five (5) columns by ten (10) rows or four (4) columns by ten (10) rows. The matrix 10 has the horizontal skyline 18 located at the top of the matrix 10 and a bottom 20 located opposite to the skyline 18 of the matrix 10. The buffer zone is separate from the matrix 10 and is located directly above the skyline 18. The buffer zone is positioned between the matrix 10 and where block generation and game ending conditions occur. The buffer zone has dimensions that are the same as or similar to the dimensions of the digital matrix 10. The buffer zone and/or tetrimino blocks 14a-14g located within the buffer zone may or may not be visible to the player.
Newly generated and introduced blocks 14a-14g fall from a top of the buffer zone at a point within the width of the matrix 10. Upon introduction into the buffer zone and/or the matrix 10, the current falling tetrimino block is in a falling phase whereby the player moves, rotates or drops the current falling tetrimino block within the matrix 10. The newly introduced tetrimino blocks 14a-14g may fall or move downward from the buffer zone and/or the skyline 18 to the bottom 20 of the matrix 10 at a fall speed, such as less than three (3) seconds per line, less then two (2) seconds per line or less than one (1) second per line.
Tetrimino blocks 14a-14g are one of seven different geometric shapes as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each tetrimino block is a geometrically shaped block, such as, for example, an I-shape block 14a, a T-shape block 14b, a L-shape block 14c, a J-shape block 14d, a S-shape block 14e, a Z-shape block 14f or a O-shape block 14g. Optionally, each tetrimino block may be specific color based on the geometric shape of the blocks 14a-14g. The tetrimino blocks 14a-14g having different geometric shapes may be colored differently and/or may have different graphical patterns displayed thereon.
One or more tetrimino blocks 14a-14g may be positioned adjacent to each other to form a monster block (not shown in the figures) that is fused together and/or inseparable. For example, tetrimino blocks 14a-14g of the same color may be fused together after these tetrimino blocks 14a-14g are locked down adjacently to each other. Moreover, forming a complete horizontal line 12 with tetrimino blocks 14a-14g of the same color may destroy all of the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g of that color within the matrix 10.
With respect to the general objective of the puzzle video game, the player achieves a line clear by arranging, organizing and locking down the blocks 14a-14g into a complete horizontal line 12 which extends across the width of the matrix 10. The player may allow the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g to fall at the fall speed associated with a current difficulty level of the video game before locking the blocks down within the matrix 10. Alternatively, the player may perform a hard drop or a soft drop for one or more tetrimino blocks 14a-14g in the matrix 10. With hard drops, tetrimino blocks 14a-14g instantly drop straight down to the bottom 20 of the matrix 10 and lock down on the bottom 20 of the matrix 10 or a surface of one or more tetrimino blocks 14a-14g located below.
With soft drops, tetrimino blocks 14a-14g drop about 20 times faster than the fall speed associated with the current difficulty level and do not automatically lock down on the bottom 20 and/or the surface of tetrimino blocks 14a-14g located below. The player is given a predetermined amount of time, such as about 0.5 seconds to move and/or rotate the blocks 14a-14g after executing soft drops before the blocks 14a-14g are locked down. The video game system provides infinite spin which allows the player to perform up to fifteen (15) rotations of a tetrimino block after the tetrimino block has fallen onto a surface of another block or the bottom 20 of the matrix 10.
The player achieves a higher level by clearing a specific number of complete horizontal lines 12, such as, for example, about ten (10) or fifteen (15) line clears before one or more blocks extend into the skyline 18 of the matrix 10. The video game may award scoring and/or other bonuses for a number complete horizontal lines 12 cleared in one or more line clears, one or more special actions or back-to-back line clears. The video game provides animation which complements scoring achieved by the player.
After a line clear is achieved, incomplete horizontal lines 13 and/or tetrimino blocks 14a-14g located above the complete horizontal line 12 cleared from the matrix 10 collapse downward towards the bottom 20 of the matrix 10. A gravity or cascade feature of the video game may allows one or more minos 16 of the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g to separate and to fall downward as loose minos 16 to fill in one or more openings 22 below which may form one or more newly complete horizontal lines 12. As a result, newly formed complete horizontal lines 12 may additionally be cleared from the matrix 10. Alternatively, one or more minos 16 of a tetrimino block may not separate because the minos 16 therein are sticky minos 16 incapable of separating from each other.
As the difficulty levels of game play increases, the fall speed in which the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g increase by predetermined velocities. As a result, the fall speed of tetrimino blocks 14a-14g at, for example, Level 4 may be twice as fast as the fall speed of tetrimino blocks 14a-14g at Level 1. Thus, the player is afforded less time to arrange and organize the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g at higher Level 4 because the fall speed is twice as fast as the fall speed of tetrimino blocks 14a-14g at lower Level 1.
If the player fails to accomplish line clears at a speed substantially the same as or greater than the fall speed of newly introduced tetrimino blocks 14a-14g, the game play of the player may result in an occurrence of a game ending condition. A game ending condition, such as a block-out, may occur when existing blocks within the matrix 10 and/or buffer zone prevents or blocks a new tetrimino block from being generated and/or introduced into the matrix 10 or the buffer zone. Another game ending condition includes a lock-out which occurs when a portion of a tetrimino block is locked down above the buffer zone. Yet another game ending condition includes a top-out which may occur when a part of a tetrimino block is pushed or forced upward by one or more incomplete horizontal lines 13 that may be added at the bottom 20 of the matrix 10 by an opponent.
It is commonly known that the video game may include several play mode variations. For example, in marathon mode, the player is challenged by, for example, about fifteen (15) increasingly difficult levels of game play. In challenge or ultra mode, the player is challenged to score as many points or to clear as many complete horizontal lines blocks 12 in a specific duration of time, such as, for example, ten (10) minutes, three (3) minutes or (2) minutes. In sprint mode, the player is challenged to clear a specific number of lines, such as, for example, forty (40) lines in the shortest duration of time possible by the player. In cooperative mode, two or more players work together to achieve line clears within the same matrix 10. In target mode, the player must clear a predetermined number of target blocks or minos from a matrix 10 within a predetermined amount of time. In mission mode, the player must complete a mission, such as clearing two lines with, for example, a J-shaped block to achieve a higher level.
The video game includes a next queue box (not shown in the drawings) displayable to the player and/or opponent. The next queue box displays a next, upcoming block that is generated and introduced into the matrix 10 via the buffer zone. The next queue box displays any number of upcoming blocks to be generated and introduced into the matrix 10 via the buffer zone. The next queue box may be shared by a player and one or more opponents so that the next upcoming block displayed in the next queue box may be introduced into the matrix 10 of which every player or opponent is a first to lock down the current block falling within their matrix.
The video game includes a hold box (not shown in the drawings) which allows the player to hold and save one or more newly generated blocks from being introduced into the matrix 10 via the buffer zone. The player may swap a block held within the hold box with a newly generated block to introduce the block that was held within the hold box into the matrix 10 via the buffer zone. Alternatively, the player may, at any time, release the block that was held within the hold box into the matrix 10 via the buffer zone.
The video game includes a ghost piece (not shown in the drawings) located below the bottom 20 of the matrix 10, which is a copy of the current falling tetrimino block within the matrix 10 or buffer zone. The ghost piece indicates to the player where the current falling tetrimino block will come to rest in the matrix 10 if dropped from its current position. The ghost piece appears in or below the matrix 10 as a block outline or as a translucent “ghost” image of the block. The ghost piece has the same geometric shape as the current falling tetrimino block within the matrix 10 or buffer zone.
Prior to beginning game play of the video game, the player selects, for example, a number of players, a starting difficulty level and/or a mode of game play. The video game includes more than one difficulty level. For example, the video game may include difficulty levels ranging from 1 to 15, whereby difficulty level 1 is the least difficult and difficulty level 15 is the most difficult. Any number of players may be capable of playing the video game simultaneously, individually, in competition or in cooperation. The next queue box, hold queue box and ghost piece features are selectable or deselectable by the player at any time.
During game play, the video game displays information regarding a current game being played by the player via the digital display of the gaming device. The information includes the game mode, a number of line clears achieved, number of lines remaining to be cleared, a current difficulty level, a time elapsed, a time remaining, a current score, a high score, a player name and/or a player rank.
The player moves a current falling tetrimino block, within the matrix 10 or buffer zone, left, right and downward and/or rotates the current block clockwise or counterclockwise to position the current falling tetrimino block in the matrix 10. Each rotation of the block occurs at 90° intervals. The current falling block rotates via a digital rotation system that prioritizes possible rotations using five (5) rotation points of the block. If walls of the matrix 10 and/or locked down blocks in the matrix 10 prevent all five (5) rotations of the current falling tetrimino block, then the current falling tetrimino block is unable to be rotated.
The current falling tetrimino block is locked down into an unchangeable position after the current falling tetrimino block comes to rest on a surface of another tetrimino block or the bottom 20 of the matrix 10. The player may be allowed to rotate and/or move the current tetrimino block for a predetermined amount of moves, such as, for example, about fifteen (15) rotations, or for a predetermined amount of time, such as, for example, about 0.5 seconds after which the block is locked down.
After the current tetrimino block is locked down, the video game determines whether one or more complete horizontal lines 12 are present in the matrix 10. If so, the video game system clears the one or more complete horizontal lines 12 from the matrix, shifts remaining tetrimino blocks 14a-14g and incomplete horizontal lines 13 downward, adjusts any separated minos 16 from the cascade feature, reexamines the matrix 10 for additional newly complete horizontal lines 12 and clears any additional newly complete horizontal lines 12 from the matrix 10. If a complete horizontal line is not formed by locking down the current tetrimino block, then the video game generates and introduces a new block into the matrix 10 via the buffer zone.
Traditionally, the video game terminates game play for the player when the game play results in an occurrence of a game ending condition. The game ending condition occurs when (a) blocks are pushed or forced above the buffer zone of the digital matrix 10 by incomplete horizontal lines 13 being add at the bottom 20 of the matrix 10 (a top-out), (b) an entire block or a part of a block being locked down above the skyline 18 or buffer zone (a lock-out), and/or (c) a new block is prevented from being generated by an existing block that is locked down in a position where port of the new block would be generated (a block-out). Upon termination of the game play for the player, the video game displays the information related to the terminated game to the player.
Alternatively, game play of the player may not terminate an occurrence of a game ending condition. Instead of termination of game play upon occurrence of a game ending condition, the current tetrimino blocks 14a-14g within the matrix 10 are cleared from the matrix 10, game play is restarted and trimino blocks 24a, 24b are generated and introduced into the empty matrix 10 via the buffer zone. The trimino blocks 24a, 24b contain three minos 16 in each trimino block. When trimino blocks 24a, 24b are used in game play, tetrimino blocks 14a-14g are not in use during game play. The trimino blocks 24a, 24b fall at the same fall speed as the fall speed of the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g previously used in game play. If the player fails to form and clear complete horizontal lines with the trimino blocks 24a, 24b within the matrix 10, the game play of the player with the trimino blocks 24a, 24b may result in another occurrence of a game ending condition.
Upon occurrence of a subsequent game ending condition, the current trimino blocks 24a, 24b within the matrix 10 are cleared from the matrix 10, game play is restarted and dimino blocks 24c are generated and introduced into the empty matrix 10 via the buffer zone. The dimino blocks 24c contain two minos 16 in each dimino block. When dimino blocks 24c are used in game play, tetrimino blocks 14a-14g and trimino blocks 24a, 24b are not in use during game play. The dimino blocks 24c fall at the same fall speed as the fall speed of the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g and the trimino blocks 24a, 24b previously used in game play. If the player commits a subsequent game ending condition during game play with the dimino blocks 24c, the game play of the player is terminated.
The number of rows and/or columns of the matrix 10 adjusts based on whether the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g, the trimino blocks 24a, 24b or the dimino blocks 24c are being used during game play. The current blocks being used during game play are graphically expanded to change the number of rows and/or columns of the matrix 10 during game play. For example, the matrix 10 has ten (10) columns and twenty (20) rows for game play with the tetrimino blocks 14a-14g, seven (7) columns and fourteen (14) rows for game play with trimino blocks 24a, 24b, and five (5) columns and ten (10) rows for game play with dimino blocks 24c. 
A novice player may play the video game and have difficulty forming complete horizontal lines 12 and/or clearing the blocks 14a-14g due to inexperience or an inability to move, rotate and/or drop the blocks 14a-14g to form complete horizontal lines 12. The inexperience and inability of the novice player causes the novice player to have a poor skill level or game play at one or more difficulty levels. As a result, the novice player may frequently commit and/or approach a game ending condition because of the inability of the novice player to generate sufficient complete horizontal lines 12. Typically, video games played by the novice player are of a short duration due to the poor skill level and game play of the novice player. As a result, the novice player may become frustrated with the video game and may resist subsequently playing the video game because of the short duration of the video games played by the novice player.
A need, therefore, exists for video game systems and methods for providing software-based skill adjustment mechanisms for video game systems which may provide software for one or more primary and secondary software-based skill adjustment mechanisms that adjust a difficulty level of the video game to correspond to a skill level and/or game play of a player. Further, a need exists for video game systems and methods for providing software-based skill adjustment mechanisms which may provide primary and secondary adjustments to lines, levels, fall speeds and/or geometric shapes of blocks for changing a difficulty level of the video game to correspond to a skill level and/or game play of a player. Still further, a need exists for video game systems and methods for providing software-based skill adjustment mechanisms which may reduce the frequency of or may prevent occurrences of game ending conditions committed by a player. Moreover, a need exists for video game systems and methods for providing software-based skill adjustment mechanisms which may prevent a player from becoming frustrated with game play of the video game by adjusting the difficulty level of the video game to correspond to the skill level and game play of the player. Furthermore, a need exists for video game systems and methods for providing software-based skill adjustment mechanisms which may provide unlimited game play for a player by preventing an occurrence of a game ending condition within a single game and without completely clearing digital blocks from a digital matrix